Nature Beyond Imagination

Archive for November, 2012

Delo is a small and peaceful Himalayan hamlet in the Darjeeling district of West Bengal. At a height of 1914m and only 6km away from Kalimpong, it is a perfect getaway amidst the majestic mountains for tourists who want a day off from their busy schedule. At Dello, you are in for a treat of a lifetime – a quiet romantic evening atop a picturesque landscape overlooking the Teesta valley, followed by one of the best views of the Kanchenjunga range. The main town of Kalimpong is only 6 kms from Delo Hill. The hill is also the highest point of Kalimpong town, with a height reaching up to 1,704 metre above mean sea level.

From the top of this hill, tourists can enjoy beautiful views of the surrounding villages of Relli valley and Teesta River along with the town of Kalimpong. In addition, there is a park located at the summit of this hill. Spending a weekend savoring the majestic views of the Himalayas and lazing around the gardens is the usual activities you can enjoy here. Delo Hill is an extended nature park with very well maintained gardens, fountains, views of Mt. Kanchenjungha and River Teesta. There is a huge statue of Lord Hanuman near Delo. You would also find a very nice statue of Lord Buddha on the way while returning from Delo to Kalimpong. Monasteries or Buddhist gumphas form a very important feature of the surrounding and there are three important gumphas – Tharpa Choling Monastery, Zong Dog Palri Fo-Brang Monastery and Tongsa Gompa that stands witness to the journey of Buddhism in India.

Popular Destinations at Delo :

Mirik Lake : Mirik is a picturesque tourist spot nestled in the serene hills of Darjeeling district in West Bengal, India. A floating fountain in the middle of the lake is a joy for ever and very often you may find the glory of Kanchenjungha reflected in the lake waters. A rich forest with thousands of Cryptomaria-Japanica trees clothe the slopes on the west. A 3.5 km. zig-zag footwalk takes you along the lake – a sleek foot bridge connects the garden on the east with the woods on the west. Mirik has become a popular tourist destination for its climate, natural beauty and easy accessibility.

Singalila National Park : Singalila National Park is a national park of India located on the Singalila Ridge at an altitude of more than 7000 feet above sea level, in the Darjeeling district of West Bengal. This is in fact the highest altitude park in the state of West Bengal. It was initially a wild life sanctuary and later made into a national park in 1992. The whole of Singalila range and the national park has long been part of the trekking route to Sandakphu and Phalut.

Tiger Hill : Tiger Hill is the summit of Ghoom, the highest railway station on the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway – a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is famous for the panoramic views it offers of Mount Everest along with Kangchenjunga. t is 11 km from the town of Darjeeling and can be reached either by jeep or by foot through Chowrasta, Alubari (incidentally the oldest tea plantation in Darjeeling) or Jorebangla and then climbing up the incline to the summit, which takes about 2 hours at an easy pace.

Himalayan Zoo : Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park is a 67.56-acre zoo in the town of Darjeeling in the Indian state of West Bengal. The zoo serves as the central hub for Central Zoo Authority of India’s red panda program and is a member of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums.

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Rishop or also spelt as Rishyap is a Himalayan hamlet in West Bengal. 2591 m above sea-level, it’s a nice quaint village away from city crowds, with picturesque views of snow-capped mountains. The sun plays vermillion through the day. At night the big sky seems to come closer. Beneath the sky the twinkling lights of Gangtok & Pedong are similar to the twinkling stars above. Tourists are attracted by the natural beauty of Neora Valley National Park & Tiffindara and waking up with the view of the Majestic Kanchenjunga is the primary reason behind the popularity of Rishop.

Apart from the Kanchenjunga range, a visitor can also see the Sikkim, Bhutan and Nepal mountains including Jelep la from Rishop. Nathula, the famous Into-Chinese boarder that has been opened up for trade, is also visible from here. The blue mountains of Sikkim by its side are also worth watching. Nathu La and Jalep La are also visible from Rishyap. There is a fascinating 3 km trek through the dense forests towards the mountain top, Tiffindara, deftly negotiating the bushes and boulders en-route. Tourist will stop many times gasping for breath, only to be mesmerized by the enchanting beauty of the woods.

Attractions at Rishop :

Rishyap / Rishop is popular to visitors for its scenic beauty, as well as enjoyable to spend time in walking around the forest along with the village road. Rishop is famous for its mountains view. You can enjoy through trekking route which is a deep silent forest of pine, birch, fir & orchids with some soothing path following the chirps.

Lava is one of the beautiful & peaceful tourist spot. Altitude of this place is 2,138 meter. There also some interesting places for visit-Monastery, forest museum, lake, glass house. It is just 9 km road distance and 3 kilometer treking distance from Rishop. Lolay Gaon, another beautiful tourist spot is located just 34 kilometers away. Kalimpong, situated just 35 kilometers away from Rishyap.

How to Reach :

By Road : from Siliguri via Kalimpong 99km or via Gorubathan 105km . The route through Gorubathan is a breathtaking one as most of the route is covered by Tea Gardens.

By Rail Way : Nearest railway station to Rishyap / Rishop is New Jalpaiguri. New Jalpaiguri and Siliguri Railway Station are main railway station in this area. After you arrive at New Jalpaiguri or Siliguri, you should follow the road journey to reach at Rishop.

By Air: nearest airport is Bagdogra about 10 km from Siliguri

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Rabong is one of the most popular tourist destinations in South Sikkim. At an altitude of 7000 ft, located on a ridge between Maenam and Tendong Hill, Rabong offers unmatched views of the Greater Himalayas. Situated amidst the Maenam Hill and Tendong Hill, the destination has beautiful views of snow clad mountains and peaks such as Mount Kanchenjunga, Mount Pandim, Mount Sinialchu and Mount Kabru. Tourism in the town is becoming increasingly popular and it is an offbeat destination for many tourists. One can get an excellent view of snow clad mountains and peaks. It is an ideal place for short treks, bird watching and leisure holiday. There are villages of either the Bhutia or of Lepcha settlement. These people are religious minded, god fearing, warm and with nice manners. It is a perfect destination with natural diversity. Caves, exotic flora, fauna and the majestic snow peaked mountains makes a unique settings. Other attraction is waterfalls, picturesque tea gardens, old monasteries and hotspot for tourist. Bird watching and leisure holidays are two of the finest monastery. Bonn Monastery, Ralong Monastery, old historical market of Kewzing are some of the major attractions which are worth visiting. Sikkim has one and only one tea estate called Temi tea estate, a beautiful tea garden of the state producing quality tea. Rabang is a perfect destination for Home stay. There are so many options like cave exploration, soft treks, waterfalls, tea gardens, quaint villages are some of the attractions of the region. Kewzing, Bonn Monastery, Ralong Monastery, Borong Hot springs, Maenam Peak are nearby. Some of the nearby monastery are Kewzing Monastery 5 kilometers from Rabong.

Trekking around Rabong :

Rabong also offers some fabulous short treks. A 12 km trek from Rabong through the Oak, Pine, Rhododendron, Magnolia and fir forests will take you to Mainam peak at 10,600 ft. Another 1.5 km uphill trek leads to valedunga, a hilltop offering beautiful view to the surrounding mountains. The entire trek route passes through the Mainam Sanctuary which houses a rare collection of Himalayan species like the red panda, Himalayan black bear, leopard cat, black pheasant cat etc.

By Air : Bagdogra is the nearest airport. From Bagdogra airport one can hire vehicle of his choice to reach Ravangla, which is at a distance of 142 km.

By Rail Way : New Jalpaiguri (NJP) is the nearest railway station from where one can hire vehicle of his choice to reach Ravangla, which is at a distance of 134 km. Share Jeep or Sumo are also available.

By Road : Hired vehicles are the best option to reach Ravangla from Siliguri and Jalpaiguri. One can also reach Ravangla from Gangtok, the capital of Sikkim or Darjeeling, the hill town of West Bengal.

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Lava is a small hamlet situated 34 kilometres east of the town of Kalimpong via Algarah in Darjeeling district of the state of West Bengal, India. Lava is situated at an altitude of 7,016 feet . It is one of the few places in West Bengal to receive snow in winter. The place is said to be a haven for bird watchers and numerous species of migratory birds can be seen in the area. Some of them include the rusty bellied short wing, blue robin, fulvetta, finch, wren babbler and many more rare birds.

The forests of the region are relatively untouched and they are teeming with wildlife and these include the black bear and barking deer. There are several picnic spots in the region and these are ideal for spending the day in the outdoors. You can also visit the old Buddhist monastery that is located amongst the hills of Lava. The Neora National Park can be reached from Lava and permits are available here.

Tourist Attractions at LAVA :

Neora Valley National Park :

Neora Valley National Park is located in the Kalimpong sub-division of the Darjeeling District and covers an area of 88 sq. km. The park shares its border with Myanmar and dense forest of Sikkim. It is the land of the elegant Red Panda in the pristine undisturbed natural habitat with rugged inaccessible hilly terrain and rich diverse flora and fauna making this park an important wilderness zone. The forest in Neora Valley has such luxurious growth that even sunlight finds it difficult to touch the ground. Virgin natural forests, dense bamboo groves, colourful canopy of Rhododendron trees, lush green valley, meandering rivers and streams with snowcapped mountains in the backdrop form a picturesque landscape.

Changey Falls :

Changey Falls is situated at a distance of 10 km from the Lava village and is located amidst two sunrise points, Tifindara and Ghanti Dara. Guest can watch and feel the fresh stream water fall and the beautiful surroundings are worth visiting.

Tiffindara :

Tifindara is a famous sunrise point, which has pine forests and provides a view of the Himalayas. Tiffin Dara in the Neora Valley is a picturesque Sunrise and a Sunset Point which is popular among tourists for watching the sun change colors from bright golden yellow to orange to pink before it sets in the horizon behind the silver Mountain ranges.

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Lolegaon is a offbeat destination in the northern part of West Bengal, 123 km from Siliguri, 24 km from Lava and 54 km from Kalimpong, Lolegaon lies at an altitude of 1850 m above sea level. Lolegaon is basically a tiny Lepcha village also known as Kafer and has recently been introduced as a tourism place in the state of West Bengal, offering views of the Eastern Himalayan snow ranges. If you are looking for a break from the modernized travel destinations and want to spend few leisurely days in the vast natural canvas thrown open before you, Lolegaon is the best bet.

Nestled atop of a flat hill on a forested ridge at an altitude of 5500ft Loleygaon / Lolegaon is a place of ethereal wilderness and tranquility.Basically. Viewing sunrise over the snow peaks from Jhandidara – a wooded hilltop – is perhaps the most treasured memory of being at Lolegaon. In a clear day all major peaks of Kanchenjunga massif can be seen from Jhandidara. Even the glorious Mt Everest can be seen from Jhandi Dara as your eyes sweep across the layers of mountains and valleys and reach at the distant corner, where the highest peak in the world is touched by the first rays of the Sun. There is also a provision for an exclusive ‘Canopy Walk’ through the ancient Cypress and mossy Oak of the Heritage Forest. This forest is also the home to some Himalayan species of mountain goats and black bear along with other rare species of butterflies, birds and orchids. Other places to see include the green valley of Ralli. Besides, tourists can also venture out to nearby places like Kalimpong, Lava and Samthaha.

Attractions in Lolegaon :

The place offers panoramic view of the Kanchenjunga range. On a clear day large part of the snow capped mountain is visible.

Visitors interested in Bird watching could have a field day here, wide variety of birds can be seen in the area and Lava-Lolegaon sector is one of the most attractive birding destination in this region.

Nearby hilltop Jhandi Dara offers beautiful views at sunrise. The place is about 4/5 kilometers from Lolegaon and early morning visit to Jhanidi Dara can offer you spectacular views on a clear day.

Forest department has earmarked a part of the forest as Heritage forest. This is another attraction for tourists. There is a unique ‘Canopy Walk’ over the century old mossy Oak and Cypress.

Best Time to Visit : Lolegaon can be visited throughout the year. But it is better to avoid the monsoon season from July to early September when leeches are a very big problem in the area.

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Duars or Dooars literally means gateway / door to Bhutan and North East India. Situated in the foothills of Himalaya consisting of an area of 8,800 square kilometer / 3,400 square mile is criss – crossed with rivers. The major river is the Teesta besides many others like the Jaldhaka, Torsha, Murty, Sankosh, Karatoya, Raidak, Kaljani and Dyna. The Duars is spread from Darjeeling foothills to the foothills of Arunachal Pradesh and is known for its rich biodiversity and forests. Lying in the Himalayan foothills, Dooars has great natural beauty. The wildlife-rich tropical forests, innumerable hill streams cutting across the green carpet of tea gardens and undulating plains, low hills rising up from the rivers. A drive through the Dooars plains, the gateway of Bhutan and the entire North East of India, can be the experience of a lifetime.

Raimatang :

Raimatang is 109km.away from Jalpaiguri &45 km away from Alipurduar town, surrounded by rivers and hills, Raimatang is a nice place to enjoy the beauty of nature. Scenic beauty is the point of attraction of these places. Raimatang is a small river in Western Buxa area in the Dooars area of West Bengal. There is a small village inside the forest known as Raimatang village. The village has gained prominence in tourism in the recent past. Raimatang is a forest village. You have to travel through the river bed to reach here. The forest surrounding the village is famous for Elephants among other wild life. During the harvesting season, almost every night elephants come to the village during the night. Tourist facilities are still quite basic. There are 3 / 4 small homestay type accommodation in the village that provide basic food. Some of the accommodations have attached bath, but most places its shared.

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The West Bengal hills are one of the major tourist destination in India. The hill stations situated in the lap of nature attract tourists not only from Bengal but also from other parts of India and abroad. The hilly region of north Bengal is a part of the eastern Himalayan range. The tourism industry is well developed and it encourages tourists to visit the places in north Bengal. The tourists can travel to these hill stations by road, rail or airway. There is an array of deluxe, luxury and budget hotels in this region to choose from. These hotels offer a number of facilities to their guests.

Situated on the banks of the mighty Brahmaputra, Guwahati is the junction of three important roads, National Highways 31, 37 and 40 can be used for Guwahati tourism as well.

Guwahati is replete with various religious places, green hills, tea plantations, educational institutes and Art Workshops. The city with its ancient roots offers a plethora of archaeological sites, historical monuments and educative as well entertaining museums. The excavation sites and the artifacts recovered from the sites make for a very interesting and exciting audience. The city offers an opportunity to interact with not only the Assamese populace but also the immigrants from all adjoining states, thus making it a vibrant cosmopolitan city.

Sightseeing in Guwahati:

Guwahati tourism is particularly famous for its Kamakhya temple located atop the Nilachal hill, at a distance of 10 km from the railway station. Known to be the most revered among the tantrik shrines of Shakti worship in the world, Kamakhya, was built in the 10th century by the Koch king, Naranarayan. Animal sacrifice is a common practice here to appease the Goddess. You can visit lots of other temples also like Bhubaneshwari Temple, Shiva Temple, Navagraha Temple, Vashistha Ashram, Guwahati Zoo.

Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport of Guwahati is well connected by air with New Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai and Chennai.

Railway

The busy and overcrowded Paltan Bazar railway station is the nearest railhead for many trains from every part of India.

Road Transport

All India tourist permit vehicles are available for the local transportations and also for the inter city transportations too. Guwahati is connected by regular bus services with Shillong, Silchar, Dibrugarh, Jorhat, Tezpur, Siliguri, Sibsagar, Dimapur, Kohima, Imphal, Aizawal, Itanagar, Barpetta Road and Cooch Bihar.

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